Worried about Social Services

[MumofHennHals]

My little boy was born premature with respiratory distress. He's 8 months old now

This winter he's had croup, bronchitis and now Flu A from his sister who's 4 at school.

The first time croup- he needed to be admitted due to needing nebuliser and steroids and discharged super early at 6:30am!

Bronchitis - 111 told us to go to a&e due to fluid intake being low and he was drowsy. A&e admitted him to monitor over night and discharged at 8am!

Today, he has Flu A. We spoke to our neighbour whose a paediatric nurse at our local hospital and she advised we take him straight in as he's grunting and he's mottled.

My husband has taken him, but I'm thinking will this trigger a referral to social services? The amount of time we've been to a&e?

Our eldest has never been sick enough to warrant a&e, just my premature son who is struggling this winter.

Or do they often only refer for bruises / falls?

He's super fine other than these viruses which we can't help

If that is all he is going in for, then no, no one is interested in that (in a good way), he has injuries each time, that may raise some queries about supervision or care.

I genuinely cannot fathom why this would trigger a referral to SS. He has had illnesses every time. If they were broken bones then yes, maybe

They're not going to worry about him getting viruses, it can't be helped and clearly isn't something you can control. Avoiding going in due to worries about SS would be viewed as far more concerning.

Your Health Visitor gets alerted to every A&E visit. They follow up on ones that concern them. I doubt they will follow up on common illnesses, more likely accidents, although there is a small chance they might contact you to see how you are all doing as he has been quite unwell. The hospital is not going to be referring to Social Services for illness alone.

I am a retired SW. This would not attract a referral to SS in any way at all. You are doing what you need to for your child's health. It is hardly your fault he is unwell. Don't give it another thought.

I'm a social worker and we absolutely want you to seek medical attention when your kids are sick. That's it. End of story.
If it was regular physical injuries or if you were presenting telling a story that didn't match your child's presentation, or making up symptoms they didn't have, or failing to seek medical attention for your seriously unwell kid, then children's services might be interested. A sick baby being taken for appropriate medical attention, no.

If you delayed seeking treatment or if he was in for repeated injuries or potential non accidental injuries then I would expect SS to be imformed. But a parent seeking appropriate treatment for an ill child is good parenting.

There are some triggers, like 3 A&E visits in a short space of time. They’d review and, from what you’ve said they’d either do nothing or get someone (like a HV) to contact to check you’re okay just because you’ve had a tough time. I wouldn’t expect any safeguarding concerns. Your level of concern is odd though.

Thanks everyone 🤍

My eldest was until this year a frequent a&e flier with many doses of strep a, tonsillitis (double figures annually), cellulitis, scarlet fever, cyclical vomiting, and trigger finger. He's 6. I've never heard from social services despite 30+ visits (we don't have minor injuries here or out of hours walk ins, and ds goes floppy and unresponsive with fevers 40+). I can't imagine illnesses (rather than injuries) they can put an easy label on and treat will trigger social services. His little sister has never been to a&e 😅

I hope yours recovers quickly, flu can be brutal.

My eldest was born with a collapsed lung and with respiratory distress too, she’s 9 now and has quite severe asthma. We’ve been regulars at a&e for nebulisers and steroids her whole life, never been referred to social services.

I’m a children’s nurse, absolutely not.

How can you think SS would be interested in a child being brought in for viral illnesses? If you choose NOT to bring him in when seriously ill then it would be a concern for SS.